Eight Wigan Warriors stars feature in Test match between Wales and England in Neath
England enjoyed a dominant 62-0 win over Wales at The Lextan Gnoll in Neath on Saturday evening, with eight Wigan Warriors players featuring in the women’s international rugby league Test match.
Wigan stars Grace Banks, Anna Davies, Molly Jones, Georgia Wilson, Jenna Foubister, Izzy Rowe and Eva Hunter lined up for England, whilst Warriors stalwart Carys Marsh represented Wales.
Foubister, who has been a key player for Denis Betts’ Wigan side this year, opened the scoring on her international debut, with the 18-year-old racing onto a neat grubber kick from her halfback partner and Wigan teammate Rowe.
Another debutant got on the scoresheet moments later as Wigan star Jones broke through the Welsh defence before Davies and Lucy Murray of Leeds Rhinos crossed the whitewash to give Stuart Barrow’s England side a 22-0 lead at half-time.
England stretched their lead almost immediately after the second half restart as Foubister offloaded to her Warriors teammate Hunter, who raced 40 metres to score her first England try. The 20-year-old bagged her brace in the half with Rowe, Wilson and Bella Sykes posting further tries to seal a comfortable 62-0 victory for the English visitors in South Wales.
Wigan star Rowe scooped the Player of the Match award following an impressive display alongside Foubister in the halves, scoring a try and kicking nine goals from 11 attempts.
"I really enjoyed it,” Rowe said. “I think first half, I was a little bit shaky. I probably wasn't the happiest with my performance in the first half, but for the second I just told myself to enjoy it. I'm playing with some amazing girls, so that made my job really easy."
Wales: Leanne Burnell; Lucia Davies, Olivia Williams, Kathryn Salter, Dani McGifford; Meg Whittaker, Amberley Ruck; Gracie Hobbs, Carys Marsh, Agnes Wood, Georgia Cussons, Charley Mundy, Bethan Dainton. Subs: Ffion Jenkins, Jasmine Gibbons, Amy Price, Hannah Jones. 18th woman: Rhi Parker.
Tries: Goals:
England: Grace Banks; Anna Davies, Georgia Wilson, Molly Jones, Eboni Partington; Jenna Foubister, Izzy Rowe; Liv Wood, Katie Mottershead, Izzy Northrop, Lucy Murray, Eva Hunter, Jodie Cunningham. Subs: Ruby Bruce, Bella Sykes, Vicky Whitfield, Savannah Andrade. 18th woman: Emily Rudge.
Tries: Foubister, Jones, Davies (2), Murray, Hunter (2), Rowe, Sykes, Partington, Wilson Goals: Rowe 9/11